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Scottish Development International (SDI) has been told to be “more ambitious” in its support of Scottish firms looking to export.

MSPs on the Holyrood Economy Committee expressed concerns the agency had set “modest” targets when it set up the export support programme last year.

It recommends SDI should review the annual targets set for its new export support programme, “to establish the outcomes delivered to date and to determine whether targets for the remainder of the programme should be made more challenging”.

The Committee has also recommended “a performance indicator be established which measures, from an appropriate baseline, the increase in the number of businesses in Scotland which are active exporters”.

The programme, which will run until 2020, aims to support 1,000 firms each year and encourage 200 firms not currently exporting to look to sell into new markets and support a further 200 passive exports to become active exporters.

The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee's Internationalising Scottish Business inquiry explored why so many Scottish firms, notably small medium sized enterprises (SMEs), are not exporting.

MSPs had raised concerns 60 per cent of Scotland's exports are generated by around 100 larger companies.

The Scottish Government is targeting to increase Scottish exports 50 per cent by 2017.

The Committee said while “significant progress has been made” in meeting the 2017 target, more must be done to support and guide smaller firms to trade in new overseas markets.

It found while trade missions were a key part of helping companies to break into overseas markets, more needs to be done to “improve co-ordination, reduce duplication and eliminate unnecessary competition between organisers of trade missions”.

The Committee said there is also room for improvement in how SDI collaborates with other organisations, “to enhance partnership working and avoid duplication of effort”.

The Committee has endorsed further development of the single online portal – business.scotland.gov.uk - to promote and support Scottish exporters within a “clearly identifiable brand”.

The report notes a number of businesses who provided evidence suggested information and support services be delivered via a single online portal, which the Committee endorsed and has recommended be created.

Work on the portal has already begun, the report states,in a collaborative effort between the Scottish Government, local authorities and the enterprise agencies.

“Breaking into lucrative overseas markets can be time-consuming, costly and difficult to do.

“Whilst there is positive work being undertaken to increase Scotland's export potential, it was clear from the course of our inquiry that our agencies must be more ambitious.

“The committee believes this will help to deliver the step change Scotland needs if we are to replicate the success of some of Scotland's most well-known international brands.”

Paul Lewis, managing director of Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise International Operations, said: “We welcome this report and are pleased that the Committee has recognised the significant increase in the number of companies we've been supporting to trade internationally.

“Expanding Scotland's export base is crucial to the growth of our economy, we are hugely ambitious about internationalisation and it continues to be the cornerstone of our business plan.

“We will examine the recommendations carefully and continue discussions with the Scottish Government and other partners around the new trade and investment strategy.”